


Mapping Out the Stars

by lunaisfree



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: "i killed a man, Hux wants to be rough, Long live the sock, M/M, Thank hollyhark for the Elan, blindness?, canon violence in later chapters, feels with smut, hmmm what else, like someone dies but the sock survives so who cares, nipple love, nothing like crazy, ok whelp idk maybe it is, smut with feels, tiddy fucking, um death but like movie death, with THIS thumb"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:13:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6401890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaisfree/pseuds/lunaisfree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Smut with feels that I might turn into a little multi chapter because I really enjoyed writing this.</p><p>(Edit: This is now a multi chapter fic.) They just have to find their way in the galaxy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for wickedicks on tumblr, just a random one I said I was gonna write. We were talking about our size kink for Kylo and how one of our favourite authors low key (mentions) uses it, but WE KNOW. WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU SAYING GIRL. This is my first post of anything that my beta hasn't read so please forgive. Also this is the first smut I've written.... Also the first for this fandom! enjoy~

Kylo’s face reminds Hux of the night sky, all the dots like stars and moons, the scar like a belt of lights, an art piece of constellations on that handsome face. He’d give anything to look at it all night, but just this moment will do for now. They’re on some forsaken planet, a small base used for training the very first of new recruits. They’d been asked to come speak to the young men and women, to inspire, since Starkiller may have flooded doubts. Hux misses the cold planet, his planet, his and Kylo’s. This one… it’s humid and skin drying at the same time, the taste of air metallic like blood. Hux wonders if Kylo likes the taste, since he seems to crave blood shed so constantly.

Hux sees him flinch and quickly says, “I apologize,” the Force user hasn’t been as ready to pick on someone since Starkiller.

Kylo nods.

“You’re not an animal.”

Kylo does not reply, but Hux can tell he wants to from the look in his eye, there’s something there.

They’re outside, Hux had decided to take a walk after dinner to get away from the sweaty bodies of underlings. Now he thinks it would have been better to just find some cool corner to hide away in. Maybe he’d have pulled Kylo into that corner, although the slightly taller man doesn’t seem to care about the heat they’re in now. Kylo is still in long tight pants and his awful look too garb, Hux figures he must be wearing less layers underneath, to not be sweating so much. Perhaps he’s used to all climates, maybe his powers makes him that way, Hux wouldn't know. Anyway, now they’re behind a line of trees on a pathway that’s thinning out and elevating to what they’re told is some sort of water source.

Hux’s tight coat is causing more strain on his ability to even out his breathing, he unbuttons it, not questioning when Kylo just takes it from his hands and continues to follow, neither of them to falter in their journey. Kylo’s stare to his back is hotter than the fucking planet, Hux can feel it crawling over him like some bug. It’s an itchy, heavy feeling. That could just be the mosquito bites Hux is positive he’s getting. When his ankles hurt from the sloping hill (a fucking mountain) they don’t slow, Hux wants to finish this.

Some fucking water source, he thinks when they arrive, it’s practically a pool of mud. Not the nice kind on Endor that are used for bathing, Hux frowns remembering the journey that had been made to the planet for Vader’s mask. Not his favourite one. He gives Kylo a side look, the slightly younger man’s arms behind his back, Hux's coat hanging from them. Kylo hasn’t said anything about Vader since Starkiller, and Hux is aware of what happened with Solo, but still. He'd like to think he’d still be worthy to hear more from Kylo.

They’d been tense while working together, shared the odd, disgusted, angry kisses before Starkiller. Hux must admit, after being told by the Supreme Leader that he had to retrieve Kylo he’d been somewhat insulted, but of course that was before he’d gone to find the Force user and seen him. Hux has followed Kylo’s tracker and upon coming to the site his throat has tightened. The hot red that soaked and melted into the snow had scared him. Kylo acted like a child at times, but he was still his co-commander (next to Phasma, who was still healing from all her grave injuries). If Kylo had been.. Well if he’d been dead…

“You’re staring, General.”

Hux doesn’t stop, just nods and studies Kylo’s face, he wants to map out the stars on it. Suddenly Hux feels too bare without his heavy coat on, but Kylo makes no move to give it back. He tilts his head, looking Hux up and down slowly before coming back up to his eyes.

“What do you want?”

Hux doesn’t know.

“Yes you do.”

“Stop that,” Hux looks back at the disappointing mud.

“Say it then.”

He chews on his tongue for a moment. “I can feel it, that you’ve been holding back since Starkiller. I don’t know what, honestly, and I’m probably going to regret saying this but I wish you would tell me what’s wrong.”

Kylo doesn’t respond, maybe it was a mistake to say anything. It was practically vomit, maybe Hux ate something bad, he doesn’t feel well.

“We use to hate each other, I think. There was respect, but it was barely there. I thought we perhaps shared… moments.” He thinks of one of those moments, when they’d been in Hux’s quarters, pressed against the desk, lips hot against each other, their clothes straining, Kylo pulling away at the last moment, cruelly.

Kylo reals back from Hux’s thoughts, blinking, pose faltering. If he’d been any closer to the mud Hux thinks he might have fallen in. The thought makes him smirk and Kylo glares.

“You think so loudly.”

“Do I? You've never really said much about my thoughts until after everything. Until recently, I mean.”

Kylo’s eyes seem to darken, “I could hear them then too, but it’s different now.”

“What do you mean.”

“I owe you my life now.”

Hux snorts, “Don’t be so over dramatic, it was an order.”

“I told you your thoughts are loud, I know how you felt, feel. I just need you to say it out loud.”

Hux tries not to gulp, he’s sweating, more than he was a second ago. His mouth is dry as well. “Do you feel that you would inconvenience me if you told me things?”

“Yes, and since I owe you my life-”

“Stop,” snaps Hux, “You know it was an order, I could have left you there.”

“Would you have?”

Considering this Hux answers slowly, “I think I might have, had I not seen you with my own two eyes, laying there in the snow that day.”

They both turn their eyes to the mud, it’s covered with moss and twigs, probably bones of some poor creature that’s fallen in are soaked.

“What a weak mentality, to have feelings like yours,” Kylo must mean it to come out smug, but it’s weak in tone and Hux considers smiling.

“If you’d have died my biggest competition would be gone, the only person as smart as me.” He thinks of the blood again.

“I’m not sure if my intelligence could be used for your job in a beneficial way.”

Perhaps if Hux looks into the mud long enough he’ll see the answer, the benefit to this almost maddeningly soft conversation. “You’re smart and gifted in your own way, Ren.”

“I was awake when you found me,” whispers Kylo

“I know, but you didn’t say a word. Were you embarrassed?”

“You know I was,” it’s close to a snarl now, a quiet one, “I was ashamed. I gained more scars from that day then I did from any training I've ever had, a wookie shot me, a slave challenged me, a child defeated me.”

Hux moves closer to Kylo, he doesn’t want to be too odd with the gesture, but it’s hard for him to pat Kylo’s shoulder, then squeeze it, it's awkward. “If you had been defeated you would be dead.”

Hux’s breath is caught in his throat as Kylo catches him and spins him closer, his wrists are held tightly and he does his best not to snap at Kylo. Maybe this is what they need though, a feeling of frustration caused by the other, instead of the endless quiet Hux has been getting. He’s almost pressed against Kylo’s chest, and he knows there’s a flush in his cheeks. Hux is sure if he held on any tighter his wrist would break.

“Why do you think I’ve been around you so often lately?”

“As of late,” Hux looks into Kylo’s eyes, knows they’re looking at his lips, “I’d thought maybe, I don’t know, I don’t know.”

Hux’s wrist are released in favour of Kylo holding Hux’s face. The black gloves are gone, probably because of the humidity. Hux wants to scream how thankful he is for it, he hasn’t felt Kylo’s hands since long before _that girl_ came around. They’re rough, warm, Hux’s toes twitch in his boots as the pad of a thumb presses against his bottom lip. Those dark eyes watching him, making him shiver. Wasn't he just burning up a moment ago, he shouldn't be shivering? Somehow that makes him feel like he’s showing how truly weak around Kylo he is right now.

“General, you know better, to even pity yourself in that way.”

“I don't!” Hux tries to turn his head but Kylo won't let go, won't look away.

His heart rate picks up when he wonders if Kylo want him to move his face forward, but that’s answered quickly. Crooked, uneven lips meet his, they’re soft but the pressure Kylo puts into the kiss is damning. Hux’s shoulders relax, so much that he didn’t even know he was that tense. One of Kylo’s big hands move behind his neck, the other to his hip, and he knows he should be on guard when something like that happens, a hand to his neck, but Hux is in some sort of trance as Kylo moves his teeth to tug against Hux’s bottom lip. Kylo just falls back into the kiss after that and Hux feels dizzy from not breathing this whole time. Their chests are pressed together and he can feel Kylo’s surprisingly calm heartbeat. He reaches to wrap his arms around Kylo’s neck and rest his elbows on the massive shoulders. Hux wonders if Kylo will give him more than the usually kisses and clothed bodies pressed against each other. Instead he pulls his face away slowly, even as Hux leans in to follow him, his neck being abandoned for his other hip.  

 _I must tell you something, since you seem to seek more from these encounters than I am momentarily ready to give, s_ ays Kylo, but in Hux’s head.

It’s meant to feel like an intrusion, he’s sure, but something about the way it settles in his mind, the sound of Kylo’s voice, it’s almost comforting. There was once a time where Hux would have yelled at him for the voice, but it feels unmistakably right for the moment.

_What’s so important that you have to whisper it to me like this?_

Kylo’s eyes run over Hux’s face and he slowly presses their hips together. _I was the failure in our mission. On Starkiller, it was I who caused its destruction. A petty thing I felt I needed to take care of, I know you know what it was, that you have forbid the men to gossip about it._ Kylo now presses his forehead to Hux’s, but doesn’t look into his eyes. _I would ask for forgiveness, as I asked the Supreme Leader, but I know between the two of you it is you, General, that would hold out longer. The punishment of not feeling and hearing your thoughts is far worse than anything else that could be done to me. If you do not forgive me I'll give you the gift of shielding me from them. I should not be able to talk to you this easily, it’s unusual that two people, one who cannot use the Force, be able to feel and hear each other like so. After you saved me… I fear, and I believe that Lord Snoke knows this, but I fear I have become emotionally compromised._

Hux knows that Kylo would gasp for air after all that if he’d said it out loud, Hux’s lips are parted from one. There’s so much heat coming from Kylo, Hux feels like he’s dying again, like he's melting. Overwhelmed, that’s what he feels, he wishes Kylo would look up instead of hiding those big, dark, deep brown eyes.

 _We should go back._ Hux repeats, “We should go back.”

Kylo nods against his head, finally looking at him.

Their walk back is slow. Kylo lays the coat back in his arms, dusting it off after dropping it on the ground. Hux is afraid to think about anything he’s just been told, afraid it’ll be too loud so instead he wonders if Kylo will give his coat back when they get closer to the base. He does, respecting Hux’s need for discretion. The base is mostly underground and as the elevator doors shut, lights only creaking through when they pass a floor Hux reaches for Kylo’s hand, but doesn’t find it in time. Some troopers walk down the hall nodding or bowing as they pass to get to the smallest side hallway on that floor, where their rooms are.

“General.” Kylo nods before turning to enter his room.

Hux watches him walk through door, doesn’t count any of the seconds before he rushes through them after him, as Kylo turns they knock into each other. Hux shakes his head for a moment as Kylo fumbles to move the loose strands of hair out of his face.

“Will Lord Snoke punish you?” Hux asks, pulling Kylo’s hands away from his face. “Will he take that away from you? Me, if you give in to this, will he take me away? Has he said anything?”

“Not quite-”

“Hinted it.”

“Yes, I mean-”

“You are not his hound, he does not own you, yet you do everything for him. You say you’re loyal and the moment you find something to enjoy that means you're not anymore? I'm dedicated to the Forst Order. I do almost everything for it, but that is because it's my choice and I believe in it. I want the power it gives me and I like my position. But you, you're a slave, Kylo Ren.”

Kylo’s face begins to twist, to speak, probably to stand up for the Supreme Leader, but Hux won’t have it. He wraps his arms around Kylo and tilts his head to gain the few inches he needs to press their lips together. He presses closer to Kylo, stomach to stomach, and uses his tongue to ask permission into Kylo’s mouth. It’s granted. They’re both soft, tongues touching nervously before Kylo wraps his arms under Hux’s and pushes their mouths together more, then it’s intense. Hux inhales every time he goes back into the kiss, stealing Kylo’s breath. He hopes his mouth isn't too wet, he hasn’t kissed this man in so long. He goes onto his toes so he can grab Kylo’s hair and nuzzle into the scarred face more.

To taste him better.

Kylo pulls his arms away gently though, not breaking their kisses, but grabbing to pull Hux's coat back off again. Granting the wish Hux throws it on the floor and tugs at Kylo’s. They part for a moment, Kylo working to remove everything, placing his saber on the table by the bed.

“You aren’t undressing?” Kylo asks, nervously, pausing, hands about to take off his trousers.

“I just want to watch you, take it all off, all that ridiculous black.”

Kylo flushes, down his neck and Hux admires it as Kylo removes the last piece of clothing. His pale chest is dotted like his face and Hux’s lips part as he’s reminded of the other scar placed on Kylo's shoulder and side. They're both knots of angry skin, uneven things that lays next to hard muscles.  

Hux reaches out to touch the marking on his Knight's torso but Kylo practically smacks the hand away with a soft “you now.” Shaking his head, he smiles, he hasn’t looked at Kylo all yet. His body isn’t the same as others Hux has seen. It curves in places that are odd, dips in skin like no other man he's seen. It's nice like Kylo’s repaired lightsaber, with all of its odd curves and juts in metal. The path of hair that starts from his belly button looks soft and Hux comes closer to run the tips of his fingers through it, Kylo’s head falls and he lets out a small huff. Hux follows the trail to the base of Kylo’s cock and takes a moment to admire it.

Kylo is tall, passing Hux by a couple inches, hair adding to height making him seem bigger than he is. Hux did not doubt for a second that his nethers would compliment the rest of him, but Kylo is much bigger than he expected. Mouth dry, Hux drops to the ground, so his face is right next to cock, he hums.

_It looks heavy._

_Thank you?_ Kylo’s blush has made his chest go from pink to red.

Hux looks up at him through pale lashes before reaching to lift his hardening cock a bit. He wets his mouth with spit before he starts to lick from the bottom backside of Kylo’s cock to the tip, it takes him just a moment to have his mouth around the head and sinking down. He was right, it is heavy against his tongue, he thinks his jaw might pop if he moves too much, it's so damn thick. He knows he’ll choke if he tries to take it all so he comes off of it for just a moment to lick the underside again, balls to tip. Kylo’s legs twitch and he lets out a soft “you now” again, a plea this time.

Nodding Hux stands and takes the rest of his clothes off, suddenly aware that he’s not as fit as Kylo, with his extra fat on the stomach. Kylo doesn’t seem to care though and before Hux can finish undressing he comes forward to hike him up against muscled stomach, cocks sliding and pressing together. Hux legs wrap around him instantly, one sock still on his foot, Kylo ignores this and presses him against the wall they’re near, allowing Hux to take a moment to truly realize how much smaller these quarters are than his. Oh well, he wants to be as close to Kylo as he can.

Kylo lifts Hux a bit against the wall, so he can hold him up under his ass rather than his hips. It gives Hux the perfect opportunity to lift Kylo’s head up so their lips can meet. Hux feels a sudden enjoyment with being the taller one. Kylo, with his wide shoulders, always makes Hux feel so small. They’re back to kissing like they had been before their clothes were off, Hux sucking in Kylo’s exhales. He presses the pad of his thumb against the bottom of Kylo’s soft scar as he holds his face. What’s happening, Hux didn’t expect it. He didn’t go actively looking for it, but now, now he hopes he won’t lose it. Kylo's softness is new and odd, but Hux slowly invites it, just a little.

“Are you scared?” Kylo asks, parting their faces.

“I haven’t been scared of you in a long time,” Hux replies, swiping his thumbs across Kylo’s bottom lip.

“You’re not afraid he’ll damn you after this?”

Hux doesn’t need to ask who he means. “I’m sure I’m already damned.”

Kylo nods and states, “Me as well.”

“Yes, you as well.” Chaos and death, that’s what Kylo is prince of, beauty as well.

Kylo gasps at the loud thoughts, Hux using that to go back to kissing him. He moves his hips, feeling Kylo’s cock press against his balls. Moaning into Kylo's mouth he tugs on his hair, _touch me._

Obeying the command, Kylo digs his hands into the soft skin of Hux’s ass, spread his cheeks. Quickly, he jostles Hux in his arms, just long enough to press and balance him against the wall and on one hand. He slicks the other one with spit, offers Hux a couple fingers who graciously accepts and sucks on two. Balancing Hux with both arms again, Kylo presses a finger into him, crooking it into place then out again. Breathing hot against Kylo’s hair, Hux does his best not to tense up as another finger is added then another. His neck is nipped at as Kylo's fingers scissor inside of him, he tries but fails not to moan into the dark hair. If he can’t take three fingers comfortable, he won’t be able to take Kylo’s cock, not a chance.

Beads of come escape the tip of his cock as Kylo bites at his collar bone. Hux is suddenly taken back to the Finalizer, Kylo pushing, no _slamming_ him up against the wall. Biting marks into his neck so hard it broke skin and he had cried out. Calling Kylo a prick, yanking him back by his hair to snarl at him to ease up or his officers would see. Kylo pressing his fingers into Hux’s shoulders so much Hux thought his bones might snap.

“Woah,” Kylo blinks at him, “loud.”

“S-sorry,” gasp Hux, arching forward as Kylo presses against a bundle of nerves, “I still want you like that, to be rough.”

“As rough as I was then?” asks Kylo doubtfully.

“Almost, not so much that you lose yourself.”

 _Fine then,_ hums Kylo into Hux's head as he sinks his teeth into a shoulder. Jolting, nails pressing into Kylo’s shoulders, Hux moans loudly. _Breathe_ , he hears and then Kylo is almost dropping him on his cock. That’s what it feels like anyway. It’s almost too fast, almost too unprepared. The way Hux is spread apart, well, fingers are one thing but the head of Kylo’s cock pressing into the tight ring of muscle is something else and Hux lets out a shaky breath that could be called a cry.

“Fuck you’re thick.” Is all he can get out before it turns into a gurgle, his body sliding the rest of the way down.

When Kylo is finally pleased with how he fits, his stomach pressing against Hux’s balls, he kisses him. Hux know’s he’s whimpering, but he doesn’t care that his composure is gone. He’s never felt something so far inside him. Biting his lip he arches off the wall a bit, Kylo’s cock shifting inside him enough he’s shaking for a moment. He tries taking a deep breath but it's so shaky leaving his lips. 

_You’re so quiet, General._

“Your observation is noted,” he breathes out,  _if I talk I’ll become a mess._

Kylo’s eyes widen and Hux closes his mouth with a snap of teeth at the look he’s given. He knows what he’s said may not have been the best thing but damn if it doesn’t get Kylo moving. He takes Hux’s hips in his hands with a painful grip, pulling out of him a bit before thrusting back in. Hux lets out a cry, toes curling as Kylo moves.

“Let me hear you,” Kylo demands in between groans, possessive in the way he holds onto Hux, fucking him against the wall. Hux has his face buried into Kylo’s neck, gasping for air as he moans, as he shake his head to command.

 _N-no,_ he thinks, but even his thoughts are jumbled. Cries of _fuck, harder, harder, Ren_ in his head.

“Say something.” Kylo lifts Hux off the wall, moving a couple of steps back before falling onto the bed. Almost all of Hux’s weight is on him, but Kylo helps him stay propped up a bit. Hux squirms from the new angle and the quickness of the fall, it feels like he’s being spread apart more. Kylo still has the vice grip on his hips like before, blunt nails digging into bone.

"Ok!" gasps Hux, rubbing himself with a hand as he looks down at Kylo, _move you fucker, "_ Please".

Kylo presses his hips up before he starts bouncing Hux on him. Grunting as he thrust up, his stomach slapping against Hux’s balls whenever their bodies meet.

_Harder._

Kylo does as he’s told, fucking him harder.

 _Don’t stop, don’t stop_ , Hux is lazily moving his hand over his cock, embarrassed that he’ll drool every time he opens his mouth.

Kylo doesn’t mind, he reaches with a hands to part Hux’s lips and bends his knees so Hux has to lean over him, using both arms to balance. His mouth is used to slick a hand again so Kylo can stroke him. Kylo flicks his thumb over the slit of Hux getting a “Renn-n, ah, ah” in response, along with some dripping pre-come.

Head hanging Hux cries out as Kylo continues to piston into him, “Shhhaa righ’ there, right therrr, I-I ahhnn.”

The words, that aren't really words at all, turn into moans. They slur out of his mouth in an embarrassing fashion and it’s clearer in his head, but just barely. _Ren, don’t stop, right there, right there, can’t can’t, don’t stop, hand faster, please please._

His voice is turning hoarse from all his cries, arms shaking as he rides Kylo, panting. Trying not to let spit fall, Hux thinks he may have failed once or twice but Kylo hasn’t said anything about it, he just keeps moving. It feels like Kylo's everywhere, until he can’t take it anymore, he can’t hold back his release.

His stomach tenses as he spurts come into Kylo’s hand, satisfying and overwhelming. His thighs and arms shake; Kylo seems to feel it all and after four deep thrust he comes too. A rolling thunderclap after the lightning, a space storm.

Hux falls onto him unapologetically, hips popping, sock barely hanging on his foot. His vision is hazing, but he sees Kylo smile at him softly, still trying to gain his own breath back. Kylo kisses him on the jaw and Hux has the sudden urge to lazily map out the stars on the scarred, somewhat sweaty, handsome face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this was just smut everything from here out is story


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to keep adding to this. I got such a positive response to the last chapter. There is minor smut in this chapter, but not much, I'm hoping to lay it on thick in chapter three. Be warned that again, I did not have a beta for this. This chapter is for hux-you-up on tumblr~

_I’m sure I’m already damned, you as well, Ren._ Kylo snaps awake with a gasp, mouth and nose scratchy and dry. The sheets are somewhat damp from his sweat, he’d be slightly embarrassed if Hux was next to him, but his General is nowhere to be seen. There is a dent in the pillow where his head must have laid all night, the only trace he was even there. Kylo presses his head into it, smelling what’s left of Hux’s musk. He sighs, thinking about the way his hands had pressed so nicely into Hux’s soft hips.

After it all they’d laid there panting, himself slowly softening inside his General who was sucking on his neck and placing kisses on his face. He’d brushed the fallen hair out of the knight’s eyes, had curled it in between his fingers and given it soft tugs. Kylo had traced the curve of Hux’s hips, still soft inside him, but too comfortable to pull out. He had never touched someone like that, it had been new for him, there was something that had always stopped him. He’d thought maybe Hux would notice, perhaps sense it and be displeased. Yes, Kylo had feared that that would happen. Deep within him he knows that’s why he hadn’t given himself to Hux before Starkiller. The fear of not being able to please his General too great in his head, the fear of hurting him.

They’d been rough with each other then, far more than last night. It had been to the point where the kissing and the rubbing hadn’t left carefully placed bruises, but bruises that turned black from the blood raising. There had been times when they’d break each other’s skin with teeth and nails. Yanking and throwing, putting so much pressure on one another that their bones might give away underneath such force. Kylo is not interested in remembering such things. Something about those memories strike him as distasteful, tacky.

 _It is a miracle I didn’t break him,_ Kylo thinks. And to him it is a miracle. He wonders why nothing broke, why the room didn’t shake, why Hux was still somewhat coherent after. _He's so small compared to me._ He presses the thoughts out of his head and takes another breath of the pillow before flopping on his back.

Stretching he lets out a huff as his ankles and wrist pop. Scratching his stomach he looks down at it with a frown, dried come is gathered under his fingernails. _Kriff, that’s gross._ He swings his long legs out of the bed and makes his way to the refresher. Starting up the water he only moves under it when steam rolls above the glass doors, the water stingy his skin. The chrome plating on the other side of the shower, too far from the water to get wet, glares back at him. Kylo’s lips part in a small gasp as he finally sees all the marks that were left on his skin.

They cover him everywhere, red and angry. Some spots around his lower neck are a gentle purple colour, like prizes, he decides to leave them. He doesn’t bother to look at his back, as the spray hits it he can feel the taunt skin that was scratched up. His cock twitches.

He ignores it in favour of washing his hair and letting his muscles relax. Also, he timidly reaches out with his mind to find Hux, something he’d been debating on doing, just incase Hux wanted this morning after their… encounter, to be spent alone. Kylo finds him easily enough, sitting at a table on the third floor of the compound. He’s alone, working through some sort of reports. There’s a pen in his hand as he angrily marks out things on the sheets, he’s writing on the side, counting up for whatever is on the paper. Hux’s frustration amuses Kylo, there’s very few data pads around the compound, most of the technology outdated. It irritates the General, he usually has the very best of things.

Gently, Kylo presses against his mind, just to sit within. It’s strange the way Hux’s thoughts fly past him, as if Hux has to compartmentalize all of them. Putting them all into bins of emotion and importance. As if without the organization he’d go mad. Kylo snorts to himself but doesn’t look at anything, it’s a comfort just knowing he can place himself inside Hux’s head. The water still beats on his back and when he does finally continue to soap himself he also decides to greet Hux. He does it softly and slowly, not wanting to spook the man, how every amusing it would be to do so.

_You work so diligently, my General._

_Jeez, could you give me more of a warning next time you do that?_ He sounds frustrated, but secretly he's pleased. Kylo hums to himself as if it's Hux's feelings that are showering him, knowing that he didn't really scare the officer. A flush shoots across his face when feels Hux’s mind relax, comforted by Kylo being there. _Where the hell are you lurking anyway?_

 _I’m a bit washed up at the moment._ Kylo laughs at his own joke, pulling some of Hux into his own mind.

There's a sigh in Kylo’s head. _The first thing you say to me is a pun? All those sweet things last night and you can only say a pun to me this morning?_

_You think that as if you're worth being paid anything more than puns after sex._

_That's not funny, Ren._

_I'm laughing._

_Go fuck yourself._

_I think I’m too tired after last night._ There’s no response from Hux and it last so long Kylo has time to get out of the shower and dry himself. He worries the inside of his cheek, afraid his joke might have been too much, he does his best not explore Hux’s mind, instead giving him whatever time he needs.

 _What are you doing now?_ Finally comes to him, light, airy, amused.

_Just dried off, about to dress. Why, already missing me?_

_I’ve been up for hours now, so maybe a little, but no. No, I require your assistance with these reports._

Kylo can still feel his frustration and as he pulls clean trousers on, it slows him down a bit. Hux is an easily frustrated man but this time it's covered with a slight tinge of worry. He continues to dress, giving Hux a moment to add whatever he needs to what he’s said, but it doesn't come.

_What's the problem?_

_It's these pages, I've been recounting them all morning but the number of stored weapons is diminishing, I'm sure of it._

_And you need my help, getting a bit lazy General?_ Kylo finally hooks his saber to his belt, done dressing, and exits the room.

_You're mind reading skills may come in handy._

_It's not that easy._ Kylo makes it to the lift, punching in the stiff buttons. He wonders, if Hux had more updated technology would he be able to do this by himself? _With you and me it's simple. I don't have to strain to see anything unless you fight it. And other people always fight it. It's not fun having someone in your head._

 _Do I need to refrain from thinking things then, no privacy at all?_ Hux sounds suddenly annoyed.

Kylo just snorts, tapping his foot as the lift creeks, slowly moving up. _It's not like that, some of your thoughts are loud and some just aren't. You and I are connected differently then most people._

_But you can still hear and see things I don't want you to?_

_Not really?_

_It's a no or yes..._

_Why is this something you're just now interested in?_

_Because Ren, sometimes I'd like to know-_

Kylo pries the doors open when the lift stops, anger rising quickly to his ears. He storms down the hall, following Hux’s emotions rather than his coherent, full sentenced thoughts. When he finds the door the general is behind he practically kicks it down. “Do you have to be so damn loud in that head of yours? So much that you have to nag to me within that private space?”

Hux looks up from the papers in front of him with a glare, “Did you hear any of that or did you just leave my mind like a skittish teenager.”

“You know,” Kylo starts, Force slamming the door behind him, “it didn't seem to bother you one bit yesterday or earlier. Why are you being so angry?”

“I don't know!” Hux says sarcastically, raising his arms up, “Maybe it's because I said I needed your help and you want to give me a bullheaded excuse.”

Kylo huffs and moves from the door to storm towards the general, “It wasn't an excuse.” He swings the metal chair Hux is in around, leaning on the cold armrest so he can put his face right in the generals. His General. “If you'd listened and stopped thinking I was just lazy you'd know that.”

“So you're reading my mind again?” snarls Hux.

“No,” Kylo sighs softly, cocking his head to the side, “I've just been in there and known you long enough to know what and how you think of me in the most negative way. Which is stupid, lazy and childish with some other things that would leave Phasma crying, if she were here to hear your thoughts.”

Hux continues to glare and Kylo wants to lean forward more so he can press their lips together. He doesn't though, instead he admires the flush on his General’s skin. His fingertips tingle, wanting to move them over the soft goosebumps he knows have risen on Hux's wrist. It's the only skin that's showing and he takes a risk to leave Hux’s eyes and look down. Fingers are laced, as if they're comforting each other and he gives an amused huff at the idea of Hux having to comfort himself. Although this thought does remind Kylo how comforted Hux had been when he first entered his mind this morning. Brows furrowing he looks back at Hux, who's now worrying his bottom lip.

“Get off my chair, you'll tip me over.” He finally demands.

Kylo grins and shakes the chair with his hands. Hux throws and arm out to stop the jostling, the other going to hold his hat on his head, but just ends up holding on to the front of Kylo’s robe.

“Stop it!”

Letting go of the chair Kylo keeps it moving around with a wave. He turns to the table to look at the paper, scanning Hux’s notes with a hum and ignoring the cursing behind him. Following Hux’s tally with his own he finally come to the conclusion that yes, his General is correct. Over the past year weapons have been slowly disappearing. One by one but still going who knows where. The reports are quick and messy, and only some have been made but they're of weak excuse.

If Kylo could spread his mind to every being in the compound to find out who was taking weapons he would. He knows that’s what Hux wants, but he also knows the limit to his power. Spreading to every person’s mind in the place would not only leave him mentally weak, but physically as well. For a moment he wonders why he has not heard from Snoke, surely the Supreme Leader would help him. But maybe not. Perhaps he could sense Kylo giving himself to Hux. If he had though, surely Kylo would be punished by now, it’d been more than fourteen hours since he’d first pressed his lips to Hux’s.

Flipping through the papers again Kylo finds the signature he’s looking for. It’s the same First Lieutenant signing off, First Lieutenant Lleid. Finally the chair behind him slows and as he turns to Hux he’s kicked right in the left shin, the impact taking him by surprise as his knee buckles. He lurches forward as Hux leans over his own legs looking at the floor.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Year’s on the Finalizer and you can’t even handle a spinning chair,” grits out the knight as he stretches his leg,”Was the kick that necessary?”

“Absolutely. And being on a ship is different than being spun around in a chair against your will.”

“I see.” Kylo holds the papers out for him, “They all have the same name on them.”

“I saw that,” Hux says, snatching them as he stands to get out of the chair, legs a bit wobbly. “Perhaps you could interrogate this Lieutenant.”

“I could,” tapping the side of his saber he adds, “But most Lieutenants just take orders.”

“Are you suggesting there’s some mastermind here.”

“I’m suggesting that we were sent here for more than just giving out speeches and inspiring the troops.”

Hux shuffles the papers, lost in thought for a moment, then, “Do you think perhaps Supreme Leader Snoke knew that there was more going on here?”

“Last night, I wouldn’t doubt.”

“Not us, this compound!”

“Oh,” Kylo tentatively replies and presses against Hux's thoughts as an apology to his misunderstanding. He’s as gentle as he was when they’d kissed each other after release the night before. Hux must feel it because he leans towards the knight as he sets aside the papers. “Perhaps this is a test?”

“You don’t think it’s odd that he sent us?”

Kylo nods. The thought had crossed his mind when they first got here. That was the whole reason he’d been so irritated the morning they’d arrived. What good would him being there do for his troop? They all shrunk back when they saw him, whispered in corners when he was out of site. He liked that he struck fear in them, but he also knew that many rumours circled around his scar. There was sense among the troops that he’d taken to having his mask off more for intimidation, it worked. This was because they did not know the story of his defeat, few soldiers did. Really, it was that Kylo was ashamed. And even if it pleased him that others had to avert their eyes in fear of provoking him, it was a reminder to himself that he was still not as great as his Master. Who at the moment, might not be his teacher any more.

Surely if Snoke had known about the missing weapons he’d have told the General to send someone to take care of it. Like sending a dog on the hunt, that was how Snoke viewed Hux, a dog. Kylo knew this and it had never bothered him until recently. Hux was far greater than any of the other mutts in the world, because he was not a mutt at all, not even a dog, he was a veastlion. The presence of a king in space, a great constellation that demanded praise because of it’s beauty and brightness.

“Ren, if he knew, then surely this is a test for both you and I-I-What is that?”

Kylo blinks at Hux, realizing he was staring off somewhere. “What?”

“I know you’re in my head but it doesn’t feel like your thoughts. It feels more… I can’t explain it.”

“I don’t-”

“Like… like-”

The door suddenly opens. A young man comes in, far younger than Hux or Kylo. He stands tall, chin raised high, arms behind his back. His nose is straight, jaw sharp, neck thick and smaller than either the general or Kylo. The tag on his coat reads LM1009. He’s a Major. An incredibly young one.

“General.” The Major says, straightening more, if that’s even possible.

“Major,” nods Hux.

“Lord Ren,” the major bows awkwardly, like he doesn’t know that is the correct move.

Kylo nods, sends a thought towards Hux. _Perhaps the Major would know more, shall I look for you?_

 _I think not, he’d feel it too, wouldn’t he? You’d have to force yourself in._ “It nice to meet you,” Hux steps forward to shake the man’s hand.

“Major Derson,” he takes the hand with a smile, “I used to be on the _Finalizer,_ although I’m sure you don’t remember me, there are thousand of people on that ship.”

“It takes many people to run such a beautiful machine.”

“Ai, she is nice,” the Major turns to Kylo, “I do remember you, I’ve worked with you.”

Kylo hums and uses the Force to feel whatever energy is coming off the major, it is remarkable familiar. Kylo is pressed back into a memory from what seems like forever ago. It dark, huts are on fire, a circle of troops surround villagers. Poe Dameron held in place. A lead trooper with a red sash lets down his arms, blaster fire. Kylo is back from the the memory, a lump in his throat as he nods to Derson.

“A trooper.”

“I was moved up rank when Starkiller fell. Awarded medals for getting my men out in time, all twenty-six of them.”

It’s a head full of pride, self-love, there’s so much of it Kylo doesn’t even look deeper. Instead he tries not to sneer but fails, “A small accomplishment.”

_Ren._

Derson doesn’t seem surprised by the response. “My men are very important to me. They’ve given their life for the cause, getting them all out safely was something I could never not do.”

“Your troops fled from the battle then?”

“No, my Lord,” Derson lifts an eyebrow, “They fought, the flyers I had on my squad all made it out safely.”

“Were you injured?”

“No, my Lord-”

“You only got your men out?”

“Yes,” Derson is frowning now.

Kylo tips his head to glance at Hux slowly, it’s oddly intimate for being in front of someone even he must admit that. Hux doesn’t give in to the look and keeps watching the Major.

“A big accomplishment, many lives were lost.” Hux nods, “I congratulate you on your promotion.”

“Although I don’t see why you got it,” pans the knight.

“It seems not all of us can simply fail and still be in the General’s and the Supreme Leader’s good eye.”

Mouth going slack, Kylo begins to tap on his saber. “We’re all just animals trying to raise above one another, like nexuhounds trying to run a pack.”

“A profound statement, does he often make those?” Derson glances at Hux, who only stares at him evenly.

Kylo smirks, “Derson, you ran from a battle like scared prey.”

“Excuse me?” the man’s neck is starting to flush from anger.

“Prey. Granted, you did your job. But if everyone got rewarded for doing their job correctly we would have a lot more lazy, higher level officers. I don’t find it particularly amazing that you saved your men.”

“Lord Ren, I did the First Order a great service by protecting my team, I’m sure the General would agree with me, his name was my promotion sign off letters.”

Kylo does not look at Hux, he knows the man hasn’t been fazed by the conversation turning on him. _You signed off on this pretentious piece of work?_

_Are you jealous? I could always make you my co-general or some shit._

“I’m sure General Hux thought because of the situation that you could give hope to your fellow troops, a hare having survived the chase, how full of hope must you have been? Where are your troops now?”

Derson puts his nose to the air, “They’re here with me, they train the new soldiers.”

“Ah, so you’re saying, Major, that after this great act of bravery you were sent down to train lackies, new meat?”

“Well,” Major Derson snaps his mouth shut, brows knitting.

“Were you injured during the fall of Starkiller _?”_ Asks Kylo again.

“No.”

“Then it wasn’t an act of bravery. Being brave would mean going back and risking your life to save more troops.” Kylo steps closer to Derson. _He’s so short._

_You’ve had enough fun, Ren._

“Major Derson, I’ll have a word with General Hux later about your promotion. But I’ve already gathered you’re a man that cares less about the uniform then what it can gain you in number of newbies in your bed. Your pride is far too great. You lack conviction. Besides,” his nose is almost touching the Major’s when he says, “it’s less about saving others and more about making sure only you can survive the hunt.”

Major Derson has no reply, simply nods.

 _I think it would be best if we leave._ Hux brushes past Kylo, turning to nod at the Major, “I hope to see you again around the compound, but for now we must attend to something.” He exits, leaving the papers.

“Until next time,” grins Kylo madly and follows his General.

“You made a fool out of him.” Hux says in the hallway.

“You should have heard his mind, too loud to hear anything else, I had to step out, it was all about him.”

“Isn’t that what you advised him to do. It seemed he just came to greet us, but you had to be awful, 'making sure only you can survive the hunt’” says Hux, doing his best to hold Kylo’s accent.

“He should have known to not be so stupid. I don't think he was very clever, he probably just came to speak with you to get into your good graces,” hums Kylo happily, moving down the hallway with a slight skip in his step after having had so much fun toying with someone.

“Well saving people, that’s something to be proud about.”

“I guess, but to base his whole life around one event, how dull. The Force has taught me that it is a sequence of events that shapes us into who we are, not just one flimsy thing.”

“Oh yes,” says Hux, rolling his eyes, “the Force, showing you the way so you can be the greatest.”

“Precisely.”

They turn a corner, Kylo waving for the door of the lift to open but suddenly Hux has him by the wrist and he’s lurched back, being pulled into a closet. It has a deep sink for rinsing away cleaning chemicals, sponges, mops and brooms hang from the wall. A shelf of towels stands behind Kylo but he only has a moment to brace himself as he’s pushed into it. Hux is quick in pressing his lips against Kylo’s, he nips, harder than he did last night. Not knowing what to do the knight opts for wrapping a hand around his General’s neck and deepening the kiss. It doesn’t seem that’s what the man is after though and he yanks Kylo’s hand off of him with a surprising amount of strength. Hux presses his hips into Kylo's, grabbing his jaw and turning his face up.

The ceiling has some spots on it, he notes, and then his lids slowly close and he lets out a sigh as Hux licks a line over his Adam’s apple. Teeth press into his neck and he does his best not grab onto his General’s shoulders.

_You’re awful._

Kylo smiles at the spots. _I’m not sure what you’re talking about._

_You’re cruel, an animal, a nexuhound if there ever was one._

_I believe they’re all extinct, General._

Hux pulls his face down and begins to kiss him again, hard. He presses his tongue into Kylo’s mouth unforgivingly, Kylo feels it slide over his teeth, back and forth. With a feeling of being devoured he decides that yes, he was right when he thought the general was a lion. A great veastlion. Hounds were nothing next to lions. To him Hux is so small, his hips fit perfectly in Kylo’s hands. But the power Hux carries with his presence is huge.

Kylo wonders if Hux does truly plan to eat him.

_You're cruel, you should have seen the way his face fell, a look in your eye like it was the funniest thing._

_Do you like when I'm mean to you too?_

_Only sometimes, it gets annoying though, like maybe you're just trying to mess around with me._

_I do try to mess around with you._

Hux nibbles on Kylo's tongue for a moment.  _You were very dominant_.

_Like last night?_

_Yes, it was amazing._

_I-_

_Why do you wear all this black?_

_You don't like it, General?_

_I don't, I want to fuck you._

Kylo’s mouth goes dry.

_I want to fuck you and I can't get to you with all the layers you have on._

Kylo  pushes Hux back gently, then quickly pulls his belt off, top robe next. Then he lifts the softer, thinner, full robe. He loosens the straps that cross his shoulders from the bottom and looks up at Hux, presses against his mind. His General is in a haze and Kylo's face heats up at the site of himself through the other man’s eyes.

Hux sees him as flushed, eyes mildly glazed, mouth parted. Long arms, ungloved hands holding up his robes, vest open, straps undone, pants hanging a bit loosely on his hips. Some of last night's marks showing on his now uncovered neck and upper chest. Oddly, the knight looks almost delicate, presenting himself to the general like an award. Hux doesn't hesitate any longer, he reaches forward with a force Kylo’s not prepared for and twist him around so he ends up looking at the towels. They're white and smell clean, he’s suddenly aware that out of the two of them he is the more nervous. He’s never been taken, only took, only Hux.

There a noise behind him, Hux undoing his pants, he presses his eyes closed at the feeling of his General’s hands leaving him. But then Kylo is yanked back a bit, his clothes being pushed more out of the way so his waist can be grabbed. There's a great euphoria that makes it all too much, Hux must finally feel it running out of Kylo’s thoughts into his own.

_What's wrong?_

Kylo shakes his head.

The older man wraps his arms around the knight, gentle now. He presses his chest into Kylo’s back, in a kind of hug. _You’ve gotten quiet, in my head. And it's that feeling again, from before, but it's different now, it taste bad in my mouth. I know it isn't me, so it must be you. They're your emotions aren’t they?_

 _Yes._ Kylo leans his face into one of the towels, embarrassed. Him, an all powerful Force user, embarrassed. _Last night was the first night I’d ever been with someone._

_I’d wondered, I thought maybe it was just me you never wanted to give yourself to. You were so good at everything last night, the hesitation wasn’t even there. Yes, I was sure that it must have been me all this time._

_No! But I thought I might… Hurt you, break you. We were always so rough, before, and I know you like that. And now I’d like some of that again, but it’s difficult for me to be that way._ Kylo turns around, ignoring Hux’s half hard cock. _I suddenly feel the need to be gentle with you. As if last night I was just lucky._

Hux frowns and pulls his trouser back up, crossing his arms to look at Kylo. _Well that’s just stupid, Ren. You and I can hurt each other whenever we want. And you’re right, I do like you being rough, I’d like to be rough with you. But if you’re suddenly feel nostalgic for the softer things-_

_No. No, I’d like it all. If you don’t mind. But for this…_

_I’d rather not fuck you in a broom closet if you’re wanting this to be some sort of wedding night scenario._

Kylo shakes his head. _I don’t, I don’t mind it happening in here, I just thought you should know..._

_Did you think I wouldn’t like you?_

_Maybe._

Face softening, Hux straightens out the knights clothes. He presses his hands in Kylo’s stomach as he pushes the shirt back into black pants, clipping the straps afterwards. Kylo calms his own mind enough to settle into Hux’s again, not realizing he’d stopped feeling the others emotions, only giving his own. There’s fondness inside, just for Kylo. It’s like a little light that he didn’t expect. Although he doesn’t know why, his General has made it very clear how he feels. The notion that he could hurt Hux seems ridiculous now.

 _If it was bothering you so much you could have told me. Wait…_ Hux holds on to Kylo’s face, leaning in to press their cheeks together in some show of concern. _You didn’t feel odd about last night?_

Kylo blinks a bit. _No, it was different. You were giving yourself to me._

_I thought we agreed we were going into it together?_

He can feel the slight frustration, the slight fear coming from Hux. He hurries to backtrack. _We did but physically…_

_You trust me? I mean I hope._

_Oh course, we’re damned together._

Hux nods and kisses Kylo, soft, like they’re nervous teenagers hiding in a closet instead of grown men. _Not here, in a bed, maybe when we’re back on the ship._

Kylo hums, relieved. Of course he trust Hux. But he just wants to… Well he’s not sure. He wants everything to be perfect, it must be perfect. Maybe he’s treating Hux so softly because he’s never experienced something like this before. Or maybe it’s because he didn’t grow up with a pet, one he could take care of with fondness. Hux is no pet though, no he’s wild, Kylo has to remember that. He should stop thinking of the general as something he needs to take care of and be gentle with. That’s why Kylo liked him in the first place, because there was no reason to be overly gentle with Hux, the man can take care of himself.

 _Maybe we should get our clothes back on._ Hux hums in Kylo’s mind. He presses more kisses into the knights face, slotting their lips together one more time before they part. _Come on._

They put their clothes back together. Their eyes traveling over each other and Kylo thinks it’s a little bit of a shame that he didn’t touch Hux, he wanted to see the general's face heat up again. _Next time._ Kylo is finishing latching his belt into place when he hears it. It’s unexpected and at first he doesn’t know how to act. He catches Hux opening his mouth to say something but throws his hand out, pressing it against the general’s face, who tries to swat it away.

  _What was that for you ass?_

  _Shut up._ Kylo puts a finger to his own lips before slowly removing his hand. _I think it's the Major, the two troopers he has, they're minds are a bit loud._

 They’re quiet for a moment, then finally they hear the people walking. Derson’s voice coming through the door of the closet.

 "I want everyone to execute now, where are those two bastards?”

 “We haven’t seen them sir,” answers a trooper.

 “Maybe to their rooms,” answers the other.

 “I want air bombs thrown in both their rooms, bind them and carry them to the ship when you get them. You, make sure charges are set in the mess and alert the others in the four lower levels to start the clocks, an hour will do.”

 “I have students in there,” says the first trooper.

 “You knew the plan when we came here, the Rebels will pay a pretty price for both the General of the First Order and that failure of a Sith, Leia Organa’s son, a joke.”

 “Sir-”

 “And assign yourselves names. You, with me, call the rest of the men, we’re hauling the second floor armory. Take the other lift and bring me those bastards and alert the Rebels, I put them on standby last night, they should be close. Make sure they don’t get to those two before me.”

“Yes sir.” both troopers say.

Hux is frozen in place, Kylo reaching out to the Major’s thoughts.

_Stop them!_

_Shut up._

The mind is just fog and self-praise all over again. Kylo presses forward but suddenly he’s pressed back, another force smacking him away. A wall of defenses rising. It’s shockingly powerful, practiced. Kylo growls to himself.

_I can’t get in his mind._

_If there’s only three we can take them, you have your saber._

_There are still charges in the compound._

_We have to evacuate, Ren, I won’t lose any soldiers._

Kylo unhooks his saber. _They’re in the elevators now._

_I won’t leave hundreds of young lives here._

_Destroyer of planets, practically a king and you can’t leave some beginners behind. I heard of a general long ago that thought it was a weakness, caring for one's troops._ Kylo pushes Hux out of the closet. “At least we know who’s taking the guns. If I go to the second floor will you set off the alarms?”

Hux nods, blaster already in hand, “Yes. You need to stop them from getting anything valuable off of that level. We can’t risk our enemies getting more weapons.”

“Careful Hux,” Kylo lights his saber, “I’ll meet you on the surface in an hour.”

There’s a pause between the two of them, one that hasn't ever been there. On Starkiller, they hadn't been so hesitant at leaving each other. Since the fall of that base they'd both gone on missions separately but now it’s as if since they're both together they must stay together. Hux moves first pressing his lips to Kylo’s roughly. It only last a moment then he’s gone. Running down another hall to the lift furthest away from them, nodding to himself Kylo turns and runs to the one Derson left in. It's lowering down just then and he presses between the doors.

The ride only gives him time to calm his mind, and just barely. There's a buzz on the side of his head, it's Hux. But he must not focus too much on his General. He looks down at his saber, the fuzzy light that seems to waver for a moment.

Why could he not see in Derson’s mind? What blocked him from seeing past the selfishness of it? Is it possible someone trained the major to protect his mind? What stopped him from seeing? Is he this weak after killing his- no, he isn't. Kylo will find out what Derson is or is not. He will kill him for making him feel weak and unknowledgeable. The little brat will regret meeting Kylo Ren and challenging him with his attitude.

 _Surely this could not be why Snoke sent us here_ , he thinks. Even Derson had said their was a plan when his team came to this place. Maybe Snoke had known.

The lift creaks to a stop and the doors open. The lights in the hallway flicker and then shut down, it's completely dark, the red light of Kylo’s saber cast a glow on his form. A generator starts up somewhere, the alarm bells lighting up red. The noise is deafening, but now at least Kylo knows Hux made it safely to where he needs to be. The elevators will be busy for the next few minute. He can not delay any longer.

It's too quiet on the level. And as he makes his way down the long hall he can only sense one life, it's incredibly weak. He enters the classroom cautiously, the sound of alarms muffling a bit. Desks are turned over, some singed from blaster shots. Bodies lay around the room, a teacher, two troopers, seven students.

Following the blip of life he circles around some turned over desk and finds her. The dim alarms and his saber light her face. She’s propped against the wall, staring as nothing. There's a shot in her thigh, still smoking, another in her shoulder and side. The knife in her hand is covered with blood. The blood of whoever shot her, Kylo guesses. She must have put up a fight, to be hit that many time and still be breathing. The blood on her face is drying, her hair sticking to the side of her lips, the cut above her brow is still wet.

She blinks slowly and look at Kylo. There is no fear in those eyes. Her jaw moves, she's wetting the inside of her mouth, then she lets out a wheezy breath. A crooked, flimsy smile comes to her lips.

“Lord Ren, they said you were here. Suppose to give a speech tomorrow, weren't you?”

He stares.

“Come to finish me, my Lord?”

“Only if you wish me to, would that ease your suffering?”

This question seems to surprise her, it surprises him too. He leans down closer to her.

“I am not suffering,” she replies, “I can not feel any of it.”

“You're a liar, I can feel your pain. Your life is diminishing.”

She nods, then coughs, too weak to lift her hand so the blood won't spray, a few drops hit Kylo’s face. “So you have not come to kill me. I thought it was you who gave the order to the men.”

“No, it is mutiny. A plot to overthrow the compound.”

She nods. “My own teacher killed my friends.”

“Did you kill your teacher, and the two dressed troopers?”

“Yes, but only one trooper, the other was shot by the Major. His soldier apparently didn't want to take the kill order.”

“So he is a hound," mumbles Kylo to himself.

Her brows furrow, “Will they be honoured, my friends?”

“They will not,” Kylo answers honestly.

“Leave me here. I have failed the Order.”

Kylo nods and turns to leave. Hux would not leave this women. He would not leave her unless absolutely necessary. Unless he didn't have time to get himself out, Hux would not leave. He would order his men to pick this soldier up and to get her out alive. Kylo clicks his saber shut. He would not leave Hux and Hux would not leave him.

_I will die because of him some day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to give out a schedule when chapters will be given out. I really love writing this and I don't want to feel like it's a job that I have to rush to get done.
> 
> Edit: next update after May 30th due to irl issues


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lovely beta Castillon02, I'm slowly dragging her into this trash compactor of a fandom. Also YAY first beta'd chapter!

“ _Fuck_.” Hux slams the bottom drawer of Major Derson’s desk closed. He whips his head around the room, sneering at the polished wooden chairs that sit on the side of the desk as if there’s people sitting in them and it’s their fault for this whole mess. All he’s found in the desk is a key, but there is nothing on the desk that would need to be unlocked. No secret drawers on the side of the desk, no fake bottoms leading to a secret compartment. The alarms from out of the Major’s quarters are muffled sufficiently, but this does little to calm Hux’s nerves; he’s now shaking because he cannot find what he came here for.

There’s a hidden holo in this room, he knows it, he can feel it in his gut. He has to find it if he is to ever truly convince Kylo that their Supreme Leader Snoke works against them. There had been a feeling within himself the night before, a feeling that had been unlocked. He’d felt it when he waited for Kylo to awake in the med-bay. When Snoke had told Hux that plans had changed and he did not want his apprentice brought to him after Hux had retrieved him. Hux knew in his stomach that Snoke would begin to push him and Kylo out. If not Kylo, still him.

Kylo and he had given themselves to each other, but Kylo’s thoughts and loyalties still lay with his master. This was not something Hux could allow, otherwise Kylo would be a slave to Snoke. When they had been in the broom closet what seems like hours ago now, he’d felt the hesitation in the knight. Had it truly been just because he was so new to the feelings of whatever they were doing? It had to be- Hux pushes his thoughts of Kylo away. Although, he is aware of the prick in the back of his head, like a hook latched onto his feelings that must be his Knight’s own. It gives Hux small comfort as he looks at his com, the minutes trickling down.

_Blast, it must be here._

He turns around to look at the full wall bookshelf. Awards and fresh-looking books litter it, some pushed in at awkward positions to fit. Maybe, had things been different, he’d have talked to the Major in this office, had a drink with him and scanned through the books. Maybe he’d have plucked one and read through it, but books are such a waste of space, data pads are so much efficient. With this, he laughs at himself, spotting a book that looks remarkably old and out of place. He pulls it from the shelf and smiles; Yes, of course, it’s a fake.

Hux presses the key into the hatch on the side of the book safe that looks like pages. The latch clicks and Hux sighs in relief at the sight of the holo disk. He rubs his thumb over it nervously before picking it up. If he’s not right then he’s just being paranoid, he’s just going mad. Like ripping off an old bandage, he presses the power button. The blue image lapses, white lines running through the image. The voice is light, like it’s speaking to someone it knows intimately. Hux shivers at the picture; even if the Supreme leader isn’t looming over him, it feels just as menacing. He’ll have to watch the full recording later—there is no time now.

Walking to the control pad near the entry door of the quarters, Hux types in the emergency codes. There’s a ‘ _thunk_ ’ in the dropbox near the fridge and the same sound coming from the bedroom. Moving quickly, Hux opens the latch of the drop box and pulls out the safety pack that fell from the chute. He puts the holo disk in the sack and then sprints to the bedroom. The wall in the corner has dropped to reveal a zig-zagging staircase for emergencies and higher level officers only. Glancing down at his com, he nods to himself. Twenty minutes to get up five floors: he’ll make it.

When he finally does get to the top of the last step his calves are burning. He twists and lifts the ceiling hatch up then crawls out, the safety pack slung across his shoulders. Ignoring his dirty uniform, he takes a minutes to get used to the misty air. He was already sweating from his jog up the stairs but the air makes it worse. There’s part of him that wants nothing but to leave everyone here and go to his ship, the one Kylo and him brought to the planet. But to do that he would have to know where Kylo was. After shutting the hatch he came out of, he stands up and makes sure the pack is secure. There’s sounds of shots being fired from the front of the compound so he gets his blaster out and reaches out for Kylo.

“Ren?” _Ren?_

No answer comes and he glances at the closed ground door. Kylo had surely gotten out; he wouldn’t get trapped down there.

 _Ren?_ He tries again, and it comes off his lips as a whisper.

 _Where are you?!_ The voice is urgent and worried. It nearly knocks Hux back onto the ground it’s so loud. _I need your help, I can’t fight and get everyone else moving! I need you!_

Recovering from the shock, Hux shakes his head and begins to run for the front of the compound. _Ren, where are you?_ But he hears Kylo’s saber before he sees him. There are students running around, guns in hands, taking cover behind trees to shoot at their enemies. Troopers are firing at them, Derson’s troop, although it looks like there’s three times as many as there would be in a usual squadron. Near the front line making his way forward is Kylo Ren, the red glow of his saber casting off of his helmet.

A girl has her legs wrapped around Kylo’s waist, although one leg looks oddly limp, clearly just hanging on the other. Hux sees that she’s actually unconscious—Kylo has tied some sort of cord under her arms and his, and then around his chest. The usually choppy, uncaring movement of his weapon has faltered in clear determination not to hit his passenger. There are two people on either side of him, a bit further back, but still shooting. Nodding to himself, Hux moves forward, past many of the students ducking for cover behind trees and thick shrubbery.

_Ren, I’m behind you!_

_No, no, you need to lead the troops to their ships, Derson has sent for the Resistance! You must go now!_

Hux stops amidst the firing and watches Kylo’s back. “You want me to leave you?”

A blast goes right past him, singing his uniform and grazing his arm, but he barely notices it. One of the students on Kylo’s right falls but the knight just keeps closing in on the enemy. He’s less than a hundred feet away from the first line of Derson’s men. One branches out to run towards Kylo, but he’s brought down by a blaster shot that’s sent flying back by the red lightsaber. Hux takes a step forward but that gets him a scream of _‘GO!’_ inside his head, Kylo’s presence there suddenly shutting off.

Hux turns around and hurries to where the doors of the compound are. The ground is covered with bodies he passed when running to Kylo, it’s a miracle he doesn’t trip over them. Shaking his head, he runs to the door of the compound as more students run out. He does almost fall as he takes a quick glance at his watch and people push past him. His curse is cut short as the sound of a loud bang echos from the first hall of the compound. Students that pass him scream and yell for each other, one woman calling through the crowd while a group of men carries out fallen or injured people.

Hux pushes someone next to him away roughly. “Stop screaming!” he yells, harsh and throat-punching. “Get to your assigned ships, you are to take the west emergency route unless you wish to stay and fight for the Order alongside Lord Ren! Leave the dead, they’re a weight we don’t need!”

Some students begin their run to the hangars while others scan the ground for weapons or to make sure their own blasters are full and begin their run towards the line trees. Others are foolish and seem to stay close to the compound entrance, waiting for someone who Hux suspects will never come. The ground shakes as bombs go off underneath them. Smoke begins to erupt from the compound, its outer foundation beginning to crumble.

He sees the same woman who had been yelling earlier now weeping over another that the group of men had brought out. Hux takes long stride towards her and yanks her by the arm until she falls back. Looking down at her he sneers, “You are to leave all dead weight here unless you wish to become dead weight yourself. Get up, soldier, and get to the fucking hangars.”

“Yes, General,” she says so softly he almost can’t hear her.

There is no use worrying about those who are already dead. Hux must do his duty and take care of those who are living; their attachments will die before them, that he guarantees himself.

“General,” says a trooper with a large blaster slung across their shoulder, “will you be fighting with Lord Ren?”

“No,” he grits out, watching as more students run past him. “Lord Ren has informed me he wants us to prepare the ships and leave. The Resistance will be here shortly.”

“Yes, sir.”

The trooper turns to leave but Hux catches their shoulder. “Are you familiar with shuttles?”

“Y-Yes, sir, but not very well, I’ll admit.”

“Can you start one up?”

Nodding, the trooper looks off as someone in the trees screams. Hux squeezes their arm hard to get them to look back. “Yes, sir.”

“Lord Ren and I have a shuttle, he’ll need it prepared. Go ahead of me and get the ship ready while I oversee this… escape.”

“Yes. Sir? How will I know-”

“Do you know what Lord Ren looks like?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then if you’re not stupid you will know the ship, it is of the finest class. Bring one more pilot aboard but no one else is to set foot on it.”

The trooper nods one last time before turning and running towards the escape route. Another explosion shakes the ground and Hux turns to see the crowd of people thinning. He cannot waste anymore time though. If there are still people in the compound, they should have run faster. He will not risk the lives of few for the lives of many, and he’s afraid that the next explosions will cause the ground to throw out too much unsafe debris. He makes the quick decision to shut the compound.

Stepping over the woman that’s still on the ground next to her friend, he goes to the panel on the side of the entrance. Opening the cover of it, he begins to flip switches but the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He turns and puts his arms up quick enough to stop the blow from the woman who is no longer next to her companion but attacking him. Her face is scrunched up in anger, tears still falling from her eyes.

“You have no right! You can’t trap them in!”

There’s a blaster in one of her hands, but instead of firing it she decides to try and hit him some more. He catches her arm and pushes her back, but she’s determined to hurt him and grabs onto his uniform. They stumble to the ground and Hux reaches for the blaster but the woman kicks him in the groin and he’s sent rolling off her, losing his own belted blaster, the pack slipping off his back. She tries to get up but he catches her ankle and drags her back. He punches her hard in the kidney. Making a gurgling sound, she reaches and tries to yank at his hair but he’s already on top of her, pressing his knees into her shoulders and yanking the gun away from her. She falls limp and glares up at him, then spits. It lands on his uniform.

“I should kill you for being so defective.”

She struggles under him.

“But I won’t.” He punches her right in her face and her head rolls to the side.

Slowly he stands up, not paying attention to the students that continue to run past him. The ground is still shaking and debris is being coughed from the entrance. He turns to the panel and holds up the blaster. Hand shaking, he fires.

There’s a noise like a very loud standard refresher dryer and he looks up. Resistance ships fly above him. A half armored student is near the shrubs reloading his weapon when Hux screams for him.

“General Hux, sir, those were Resistance ships.”

Hux doesn’t have time to really look at him, but there’s something familiar about his face. “Carry her,” he demands,and puts the pack that he’d lost while fighting the woman back on. He is having a moment of weakness, he knows. Not only did he let the defective student live but now he’s saving her from the battle she would be captured or killed in.

“Yes, sir.”

Hux doesn’t want to hear anymore ‘yes sir’s. He wants to get on his ship.

As the they jog to the hangars, they pass the battle, and if he squints hard enough Hux can make out a red glow in the trees. The Resistance ships flew right over him when they were by the compound. Hux wonders how long it will be before they land and who’ve they’ve brought with them. Surely not the scavenger; they hadn’t been able to track her since Starkiller. And Hux doubts the Resistance would risk her in such a large shootout.

When they get closer to the ship Hux uses almost all the mental energy he has left to call out to Kylo. He gets no answer. People are running around the hangar, the smaller ships taking off or trying to take off. There’s a lot of ships left over in the back of the hangar, allowing Hux to estimate how few people might have been lost under the compound or in battle. When he enters Kylo’s and his ship he hurries to the front control board and nods at the woman from before.

“Did you get a copilot?”

“No, sir, no one wanted to fly with me. They were all worried about themselves. I imagine quite a few went against protocol and deserted.”

Hux pinches the bridge of his nose and walks back to see the familiar-looking man bring the girl up the ship’s ramp. He points to where the small med rooms are and the man leaves to put her down. When he returns Hux give him a once over and then asks, “Can you fly a shuttle?”

“I apologise, sir. I’m unfamiliar with this class.”

“Go take care of her then, see that she doesn’t wake up though, she’s in shock and may turn violent.”

The young man stares at him for a moment.

“Well, go!”

Hux takes a moment to stretch his blaster bolt-grazed arm and then makes his way to the front controls. Taking a seat next to his copilot he spares a soft, tired smile.

“Did you think you’d get to fly with a general today?”

“No, sir,” laughs the student softly. “I’m FN-7926.”

“General Hux, but you knew that.”

The student nods and laughs again, then, “Sir, where are we going?”

“We must go get Lord Ren.”

There’s a lot of flipping switches and pressing buttons for the general to feel like the ship is how it needs to be. He doesn’t berate the trooper’s inexperience, that would be no benefit to the situation at hand. Finally, Hux slowly lifts them off the ground and out of the hanger, the wings of the ship unfolding like a great bird.

When they pass over where Kylo must be fighting, Hux tries calling out to him again. _Ren, I’m near the compound with the ship._ He fears there will be no answer.

“Float the ship, don’t land it, and open the lift,” he instructs 26 and leaves his seat. As the door opens he hangs onto a metal handhold that’s coming off the ceiling of the ship and pulls it down so he can squat and peek out into the forest.

 _Ren!_ he calls with his mind. The ground shakes again, leaves from the trees falling, and Hux is suddenly afraid. _Ren!_

He hears a crash from behind the ship and knows it’s the compound falling.

“Sir! The explosions from the compound may be sending out too much-”

“I know, keep it floating!” Hux screams back towards the controls. _Ren, where are you?!_

Suddenly his adrenalin isn’t as high as it has been the rest of the day and anxiety beats it out. It’s Starkiller all over again. Hux remembers all the blood on white. The ground shaking. The planet spitting up chunks of rock and fire. Suddenly there’s bile coming up his throat at the thought of Kylo lying somewhere in the warm dirt, blood soaking into it to help the plants grow. He swallows and chokes with a cough, salt stinging his eyes before he quickly blinks it away.

_Where are you, we have to go, I need you!_

_Comingcomingcomingrunrunrunrunning._

For the second time that day the volume of Kylo’s voice in his head almost knocks him over and the gold that is Kylo enters into his mind. He looks out and doesn’t know whether to laugh or yell at the knight to run faster. It’s a sight seeing him with a girl on his back, skirts flying (because no matter what Ren says they’re skirts), enemies’ blood all over him. Kylo does one of his mystic Force flying jumps into the ship, breathing heavily in the mask, and Hux can’t help but roll his eyes.

Then Hux stares at him for what must be almost forever but 26 yells, “Sir, can we depart?”

“Yes!” he yells back.

The door begins to close. Hux doesn’t think about if there’s any boundaries he may be passing but instead reaches out to hook his fingers under the side of Kylo Ren’s helmet and loosen the latches of it. It clicks then hisses and Hux is surprised by how heavy it is as he lifts it off of his Knight and sets it by his feet gently. Kylo is sweaty, hair sticking to his face, and Hux takes a deep breath as he pats it away.

“Having a rough day, my General?”

Hux smiles softly. “It’s not even close to dinner time yet.”

They stare at each other, both clearly relieved that the other is alive. Hux wants to kiss him hard, but the ship suddenly jostles and the girl on Kylo’s back groans. The knight’s eyes widen and he backs away from Hux to untie the cord around his chest.

“She’s hurt,” is all he says.

“Is she a student?” Hux asks, curious about Kylo’s sudden gentleness towards the girl. He moves behind Kylo to help hold her as she’s loosened from her restraints. He notices all the wounds and is amazed that she’s still breathing.

“Yes, I found her when I went to looking for Derson. She was in one of the classrooms, she thought I was going to kill her.” He mumbles the last part and Hux can’t help but smirk as he lifts her from under her arms and waits for Kylo to get himself in order. Does everyone fear Kylo so much? He knows they do; only he is not afraid of him.

“There’s one med room open.”

“One?”

“Sir?” It’s the familiar-looking student.

Kylo is startled and he’s quick to ignite his lightsaber, the low buzz and high heat causing Hux to take a step away and almost drop the girl.  The student shrinks back, bringing his hands up in defence. As if that would stop Kylo’s saber. It’s surprising that this extra life form was not detected by the Force user; perhaps Kylo is as fatigued as he is.

He shouldn't have though about how tired he is because right after it crosses his mind Hux falls back with the girl in his arms. Gold sparks go off in his mind and he feels concern rolling over him from Kylo. Legs shaking, he tries to stand back up. The student moves forward to get the girl but stops when Kylo lets out a noise that is half grunt, half growl and shuts off his saber. He gently removes the girl from Hux’s arms and gives her to the man.

“Be careful with her. She's been shot, I think she's lost too much blood. Go hook her up to the machines and put her in a bed, if she makes it she’ll need a bacta tank. There’s a small standard medical droid in one of the med rooms, use it.”

Nodding, the trooper gently hikes her up and leaves to take care of her.

Kylo looks at Hux then and helps him stand to his feet fully.

“I have to help the pilot,” states Hux worriedly.

“No, use the small quarters and rest, we should wrap your arm. You're in no condition to do anything else. I’ll make sure we get into hyper-space.”

“I’ll be fine.” Hux tries to argue, but before he can get anything out Kylo is wrapping an arm around him and pressing soft, dried-blood-covered fingers to his temple. The gold in his mind blooms like a flower and turns to liquid in his eyes. It's a calming sensation, but Hux knows what's to come next.

“I hate you,” he mumbles before he falls to unconsciousness.

A soft chuckled _I know_ is the last thing he hears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOHH so Ren saved the girl...
> 
> Sorry this took longer than expected but you know irl.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 26\. they good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Castillion02 for beta reading! Trying to get back in the groove of writing and arting

Kylo moves into one of the pilot's seats as they break out of the planet’s ozone layer. His mask is removed, left in the room where Hux is as if it would protect him.

FN-7926, or as Hux has thought of her, 26, flies the ship with ease, no panic on her face as they burst into the stars. She seems skilled enough that Kylo lets her continue piloting. 26 is tall enough that Kylo thinks she may stand higher than him and be uncomfortable sitting with the Order's standardized amount of legroom. The blue-grey color of her eyes contrasts vividly with her dark hair and skin. Something about her eyes makes Kylo feel like squirming, but he dismisses the feeling.  

“Sir, the coordinates for the Finalizer need to be put in. I’ve tried calling them but we can’t seem to get through.”

Blinking slowly at her, he leans forward and presses the coordinates in. The panel beeps twice and lights up green.

“Thank you, sir.”

He nods. “How did you get called into this ship?”

She scans the stars then slowly begins to push the hyperdrive forward. “I was going to fight with you, Lord Ren, but the General called for me to prepare the ship so I did. I was also supposed to find a co-pilot, but everyone was running off to their own fighters. I relayed to the General that I witnessed many deserting.”

“And you did not find that moment to be a perfect time to join them?”

Her face twists into genuine confusion and horror as she looks at him. “Lord Ren, please pardon my tone, but I only serve the First Order. My wishes come second, and even then I felt no desire to leave. It is the greatest honour to be able to serve the General.”  

“Hmm, what is your class rank, trooper?”

“Second in my class, and the first was slain in the forest with you. We were marked to perform our final test in two days.”

Kylo raises an eyebrow at her. “Impressive. Good woman.”

She bristles, clearly uncomfortable.

Kylo pokes at her mind, not as gently as he might with Hux, but enough to where the only response she gives at noticing something is a wince. He sees a girl, maybe four years old, having her long hair pulled back in rough tugs with a brush. The scene changes and the girl is cutting up her dresses and then slowly cutting her hair. The scissors are far too big in her tiny hands. Next, the same girl is being pulled away from a woman by troopers; the woman’s face is covered with relief. She’s twelve, in a washroom looking sour, and two other girls behind her are giggling. Her hand goes out to smash the mirror, causing the girls to jump and run out. Blood and bits of glass fall into the sink.

26 is nineteen, and they are surpassing every man and woman in both physical and mental tests. They’re doing more pullups and running longer laps than anyone. They’re flipping a fellow student onto a mat. They’re raising their hand in class and answering correctly. They’re repairing a simulation ship to peak condition. 26 excels; no one is as good as them. Hux comes through the cafeteria doors: 26 stands straighter, wonder and admiration fill their chest. They pay no attention to the figure that looms behind their leader—instead, 26 salutes the general as he passes.

The seats lurch as the ship jumps into hyperspace. Kylo decides to let 26 be; there's something about them that is quite wholesome. He can trust them, for their mind radiates admiration for his General. A burning desire to serve and die for the First Order.

“26, will you alert me when we’re an hour away from exiting hyperspace?”

“Of course, Lord Ren.”  

After giving them one last long look, Kylo exits the cockpit and strides to the small hallway where both med rooms are. Closing his eyes for a moment, he reaches out and rests his presence in the room with two troopers in it. The man is lying in a chair, head pressed into his arms, snoring softly. His mind is full of nothing but average trooper memories; this man does not exceed as 26 does. _Dull_. Then again, Kylo has been wrong before. He grits teeth at the thought of Derson.

He presses into this one’s mind a bit further. RF-1130 is twenty-three years with possibly the blankest memory, leaving the impression he must have been taken or given to the order as a newborn. This trooper has named himself Riff. It’s not unacceptable for troopers to name themselves and share it with their fellow soldiers, but it’s frowned upon when brought in front of higher-ranking officers. However, Kylo has felt lenient about this since FN-2187 defeated-

FN-2187 was lucky. A traitor, but lucky. Snoke should have demanded the use of clones. Since he hadn’t though, they might as well start treating troopers with a little ease. Perhaps it would better their performance and view of the Order.

Kylo blinks out of Riff’s mind. That’s the first time he’s thought of Snoke since the compound fell. There’s something heavy on his shoulders, not the feeling of being watched but rather heard.

Clicking his tongue, he reaches out towards the other trooper, a female. Her mind is clouded with confusion and grief. Another feeling, deeper than the others, sits at the bottom of her sleeping mind. Bitterness and anger. Maybe hate. Kylo see the memories: there’s another trooper on the ground, her sister, that she’s crying over. Hux has just told her to leave the body. Her eyes sting, and she can hear the general talking to another trooper. He’s stepping over her now.  

She tilts her head to look back at him. General Hux is typing something into the control plate of the compound. He’s going to shut the doors. She attacks. General Hux cannot sentence them all to death, what if her friends are still trying to get out? He can’t take all those lives. She thinks she yells at him, kicks him in the groin. Kylo winces for Hux. It’s a short-lived sympathy though, because a moment later Hux has the trooper on her back and punches. The memories end.

Kylo is not amused. SL-1141 should be ashamed. Against his slightly better nature, he puts the memory of her seeing her sister come out of the compound dead into whatever dream she is having now.

Laughing slightly as he pulls out of the trooper’s mind, he turns to enter the other med room. Riff has done what he asked and started the medical droid for FN-G702. She’s smaller than he remembers. The IV hooked to her arm runs a synthetic blood mixture into her system, and bacta patches have been placed all over her body. Some of her dark brown hair is sticking to her face and her cheeks have a slight blush to them. It contrast greatly with her pale skin. Kylo concludes it’s from her obvious fever. He clears his throat and moves the hair from her face, then snaps his hand back as if he’s been burnt. Refusing to ask himself why he saved her, he checks on her vitals one more time.

Leaving the small med hall, he goes to the larger quarters Hux is in. His General is already awake, looking slightly dazed as he taps on the standard issue data-pad that usually just sits untouched on the side table.

“You shouldn't have put me to sleep like that, I was fine.” Hux straightens up a bit more, looking anything but fine.

There are shadows under Hux’s eyes. Maybeshould have made Hux sleep longer; they have a little over two hours before they exit from hyper-space. He could always put Hux back to sleep, but no, instead he shakes his head and sit down on the edge of the small bed. “I was worried you wouldn't even make it to the cockpit.”

Hux tsks but at the edges of his mind orange flairs up next to the usual blue, gratitude. Kylo can also feel the need his General has to be comforted but also the resentment he feels to ask for it.

“Besides, you would have just been screaming at everyone if you'd stayed awake.”

“I would not have,” says Hux sternly.

Rolling his eyes, Kylo leans over and begins taking his shoes off. “Already yelling and you've just woken up.”

Hux’s taps on the data-pad sound a bit harsher now.

“What are you looking at?” asks Kylo as he places his saber on the side table and removes all his garments except his pants.

“If you must know, I’m trying to get a message to Phasma. She ought to know what’s happened,” replies Hux as he side-eyes Kylo, who is sinking onto the bed. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but I can’t seem to get anything out.”

Kylo hums softly as Hux’s eyes dart to his chest only to hurriedly look back to the data-pad. “26 couldn’t get a message through either.”

“26? Oh, yes, they’re quite something, aren’t they, I looked up their file after we arrived at the compound.”

Kylo nods.

“But if we can’t connect to the _Finalizer_ then there’s an issue. We have to assume Derson knows where we are going. Whoever he’s working with must have given him some sort of information.”

Perking up, Kylo says, “Why do you think he’s working with someone?”

“Because he seems rather stupid, doesn’t he? Also, I found something.”

Hux makes grabby hands to where his pack is lying on the floor. Sighing, Kylo retrieves it with the Force.

“Don't throw a fit when you see it and don't turn into a whining child,” commands Hux as he catched hold of the bag and begins rummaging through it. “So much has happened, we need to consider our options.”

Finally he takes a small holo disk and hands it to Kylo who’s stood to take the bag back to it’s resting place. If anything he’s just nervous about Hux’s sudden need to show him whatever it is he’s showing him.  

Kylo tries to prod into the general’s mind but Hux only scowls at the intrusion.

“You need to watch it, Ren, you won’t trust me if you don’t watch it.”

“As if either of us trusts the other most of the time,” mumbles Kylo. He can feel Hux's small pang over the comment, but equally the acknowledgment that it _has_ only been forty-eight hours since they achieved some kind of mutual understanding of each other’s feelings.

He presses the open message button and the holo clicks awake.

The hair raises on his arms and a chill goes through the room as a holographic Snoke appears. He is seated as he usually is when he talks to Kylo and Hux in the great conference room, only this time he’s holding an orb in his left hand. It is blue with swirls of golden light in the middle, much like what Kylo feels in his mind when he speaks to Hux. Snoke leans forward, eyes narrowing, and Kylo does a quick scan of his mind to make sure his master is not at the edge of it. There is nothing there so he continues to watch.

“Major Derson,” says Snoke, his voice low and gentle. There’s something very snakish, very reptilian about it. “You showed exemplary character on Starkiller, saving so many lives. And to be promoted to Major, how wonderful. But it seems that your General still does not believe in you. I already feel you questioning this statement, but deep down you know I speak truth. General Hux stationed you at this compound to keep you quiet.”

Kylo glances at Hux, who isn’t even trying to hide that he’s nervous. Meaning this is exactly why the general put him at the compound. It was disguised as a reward but really it was just getting the best out of the way. No wonder he had signed off so easily on the promotion.

“He does not believe in the strength you showed. He does not think you hold any purpose besides that of a footsoldier. He wants you to babysit these whelps. You should know, Major Derson, you are meant for greater things. You volunteered for the First Order, you’re from a noble house on your planet.

“Allow me to help you become the man you are meant to be. I will show you how to guard your mind against the Force and how to wield its awesome power. You will be dependent on the First Order no more. Instead, you will become my apprentice. There is only one thing you have to do for me to show you the way of unlimited power: bring General Hux and Kylo Ren to me.”

There’s a knot in Kylo’s throat, and he can’t swallow suddenly.

“Once they are here you will destroy them and the First Order will bow to me more than it already has. I will send them to you. Do not fail me.” Snoke sits back fully, the orb in his hand glowing brighter before the image flicks off.  

Lord Snoke, his master, is slowly bastardizing him. Kylo had known that the failure of Starkiller had been bad. He’d even suspected that being sent to the compound was punishment. Even when Hux had brought up his own suspicions, Kylo had just thought it a simple test given to him by his master. Oh, what had he said? _‘I’m suggesting that we were sent here for more than just giving out speeches and inspiring the troops.’_

The compound is up in smoke now though. Had Snoke also meant for that to happen?

He’s casting Kylo aside like he was nothing. Betraying him to take on another apprentice, which he had done when he had brought Kylo to come and train with him. The other boy that had been in Snoke’s lair- No, Kylo cannot look back on that memory. He was stronger than that boy had been or ever could be. And he is stronger than Derson. His lineage is that of the Skywalkers, of Darth Vader.

Is he not worthy? Does his master no longer trust him? Or perhaps this was a test, and what if Hux was part of that test? He had been sent to the compound with him. Derson had been told to get both of them. If the major was to be trained as Kylo had been, then Derson would have to kill Kylo and Hux.

Kylo feels broken, more than he was before. He had killed his father for _fuck’s sake._ What had changed his master’s mind after he’d sent Hux off to retrieve Kylo? Was it because Snoke had sensed Derson through the Force?

If so, how important does that make Derson?

There are so many unanswered questions.

_How could this happen to me?!_

The lights in the room flicker and the disk cracks and sparks as he smashes it in his fist.

_Am I not chosen to carry on my grandfather’s legacy?!_

Hux doubles over on the bed, pressing his hands to his ears. He’s saying something, but Kylo can’t quite hear it. A vase holding some synthetic flowers shatters, thick glass going onto the floor.

_I’ll kill Derson, I’ll show my master that I am far better than that trash. I’ll lay waste to his whole planet, I’ll bring my master a prize. The scavenger girl maybe. I can do that, I can do-_

A hand wraps around his wrist and he looks to see Hux. His bright eyes are watery, teeth digging into the bottom of his lip. One tooth has broken skin and Kylo blinks to focus on the little dot of blood. He looks down, realizing he’s grabbed his saber and it’s blazing alive.

The weapon shuts off and Kylo yanks his wrist out of Hux’s hand. Hux, who is still speaking. There’s a voice over the call cord too, 26 alerting them of some disturbance in the flight system. Kylo is hyper aware of everyone on the ship. Riff and SL-1141 are awake, both panicking. FN-G702 is still asleep, but it's a fitful sleep, with conflicting emotions. Her heart rate is beginning to fluctuate in a dangerous way.

Hux’s mind is bright, hot with fear and concern, but also reading of disappointment.

_Ren, can you hear me?_

Kylo’s legs shake as he feels grounded all of a sudden. The Force around him calms at his will and he staggers towards the bed. Hux stands and reaches for Kylo’s wrist.

Kylo reaches far into his own mind, out towards the spot where Snoke usually waits for him, but there is nothing there. Just an open space, cold and vacant. Leaving him with the same feeling he’d have on a foggy morning planetside. As if Snoke could not even bless him with an explanation. Again he feels alone.

The thin, blue, glowing cord that is Hux is the only thing that’s tied to him. And of course his mother, but he’s locked that in a great room somewhere deep in his mind.

_Ren._

Oh, Hux, how could he even try reaching out to Kylo?

_Ren, please calm down, you’ve shaken the ship. 26 says controls have gone haywire. You need to calm down._

Kylo tries again to reach for Snoke, but there is nothing, no one, there.

 _“_ Ren, look at me.”

Looking up at Hux, Ren scrunches his nose in disgust.

“You wanted this to happen.”

“Excuse me?”

“You wanted this happen!” Spinning on his heels, Ren grabs his shirt from the bed and stomps out of the room.

It must be so sudden that Hux only registers to follow him a moment later.

“You can't be serious!”

Kylo pulls on his shirt and stalks to FN-G702’s med-room. His priority at the moment is to make sure the trooper is ok while figuring out what the Supreme Leader dropping him really means.

Maybe this had been coming all along. Snoke must have known that Kylo would have sexual relations with Hux. That he would feel compromised. They had said they were going into it together, he and Hux.

He studies G702’s face for the second time on this journey.

It was a big, fat “ _Why shouldn't we be together? We’ve come this far.”_ They had known their feelings, Kylo wasn't going to push them away. Not after only having Snoke to talk to for all these years. The Supreme Leader knew all, surely he had known how events would fall. That must have been the reason for putting Derson in action.

Softly, he presses his fingers into G702’s temple. Her inner being, her mind, like her body, is in pain. The wounds are almost too much for her to keep going and she needs a proper bacta tank. For now he’ll do his best by calming her still thunderous heartbeat.Kylo tries his best to make himself one hundred percent calm, but knows it won't happen.

Unlike him, Hux has never fully trusted Supreme Leader Snoke. It showed in the way he would challenge Kylo on the _Finalizer._ The man had no problem countering one of Snoke’s ideas with his own. Rather than strongly make them work together, Snoke often had Kylo and Hux trying to best the other. The Supreme Leader may not have said that was his intention, but that’s how it has been since the two men had met.

Calm, he needs to be calm. He mustn't lose his composure while trying to heal G702.

Hux begins to pace behind him. “Ren, have you finally lost it? How could you think I could ever want you to be hurt in such a way. And don't tell me you're not hurt. Your loyalties have always been to Snoke!”

“Shut up.”

“Do not tell me to shut up!”

Turning partially, he glares at the red-faced general, if he’s even still that. His fingers don't leave G702. “ _Please._ Can't you see I'm trying to help her.”

“Why did you even bring her along, she looks like she’s about to die,” hisses Hux.

Turning back to his task, Kylo tries to press all the negative, uncomfortable feelings from the trooper’s head.

“No dead weight, that's what I say.”

“Really?” Kylo removes his hand from the girl’s head to stand and move to Hux, “Because I saved her thinking it's what you would do. Maybe I was wrong in thinking that, I don't know.” Kylo can feel his voice starting to rise, there's far too many emotions running wild inside his chest. “She thought _I was_ going to kill her. I was going to leave her, but I thought ‘no, Hux is a better man than me and he would try to get at least one soul out’.”

Taking a step back, Hux just replies with, “I did get at least one soul out, I got many.”

“ _Oh yes,_ I saw what you did. SL-1141 showed me perfectly what you did.”

“She wouldn't have told you,” says Hux with a shaky breath.

“She didn't _have to.”_

 _“_ You have no right to judge me.”

Hux’s hands are shaking at his sides and Kylo can tell he wants to slap him. He just smiles, daring him to do it. Telling him in no words that he’d be ready for it. Ready for Hux’s ungloved hand to strike him. It would only make him feel stronger in his rage. He’d wear the red mark like a prize.

Instead, Hux just takes in a deep breath and walks out of the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I liked writing 26


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coughs* so uh hey, got some chapters queued up so I don't leave you guys hanging. sorry my writing keeps going up and down, its because i go through spirts of writing all the time then stopping for months before i start again. not sure which type of chap this one is but thanks for sticking with me. Thanks to Castillion02 for dealling with my shit, they're my best writing friend <3 always inspiring me

Hux can't do it. He can't deal with that selfish, childish bastard. Ren, ugh. The _Supreme Leader_ - if they should even keep calling Snoke that - betrayed him. Betrayed them. There is nothing in the entire galaxy that Hux wants more than to be in his ship, laying waste to whatever planet that thing is on. 

Was Ren trying to make Hux feel guilty for saving the people he had? Why was he getting mad at Hux? They should have been discussing what they'd both seen on that holo disk, not this, whatever the fuck this was. That should be the main focus. Ren was being foolish.

This is at least what he thinks before entering the other med-room. A force comes at him with such speed that his tired legs give out. The back of his head smacks against the hard floor as he goes down, his vision blurring.

“Bloody fuck!” is all he gets out before a cord is around his neck.

He tries to scratch it off but the hand holding it is quick to pull his head up and wrap the cord around him. A fitful cough comes out of him before his air is cut off fully. He tries to free himself, but he still isn’t recovered from the earlier battle. He hadn’t been in the field for some time and he was unused to the physical strain. Someone is yelling, a man, and his eyes clear only a moment to look at his attacker. SL’s face is flushed and angry, yelling back at the other trooper. The other trooper? That’s right, RF-1130. Hux is as bad as Ren. He brought dead weight on the ship too. In a moment of weakness, of course.

“You fucking bastard! You don't deserve to be a general!”

What had he done again? Oh yes. Kylo had just reminded him moments ago. Wow, he can't breathe.

Hux hears the room’s door open and SL’s fuzzy figure leaves him. The cord loosens; it's a blood tube. Fresh hell—his lungs burn. Ren is sitting him up, but he can't stop gasping and coughing. SL is pressed against the other wall, frozen in place all except her mouth. It’s open in a scream.

What an awful, shrill noise. It causes Hux to squeeze his eyes shut. He hears a crack and another scream.

“Riff, see to her, she’ll need both shoulders set,” says Ren coldly as he begins to help Hux stand.

“Ren.”

_ Don't. _

_ Ren. _

_ It’s fine, dead weight you said. We both have it. _

Hux knows Ren isn't just talking about the other passengers. They're both angry at what's happening. They're both losing something. At least Ren knows what he’s lost. Hux isn’t sure if when they get back to his ship it will still be his. Perhaps Snoke has given the First Order another general. Maybe all his life’s work really has been for nothing.

_ Don’t think that; the First Order would fall apart without you. _

They exit the med-room hallway and stop right before the cockpit.

“Would it? It’s not like there wasn’t a time before me.”

“Yes, but you straightened them out. You’ve given them a goal and pulled them all together to be the best.”

Hux smiles, making sure Ren can see part of it. “You don’t need to suck up to me now.”

“I’m not.” Ren holds his chin and tips Hux’s face up slightly to look better at the thin ring of red around his throat. It’s probably darkening to a bruise already.

Hux runs a finger over Ren’s knuckles. “What are we going to do? If Snoke really wants us both dead, I imagine he’ll take full command of the Order.”

“I don’t know.”

Hux didn’t want this to happen, but it is his fault that Derson was contacted by Snoke. He was the one who signed off on Derson to become a Major and be put at the compound. At the time, it had been the most logical decision. The new Major had been meant to inspire the learning troops, and his squad had been sent with him to teach the young recruits. While the children were raised on Arkanis and then moved out around the Outer Rim, he had thought it would be best for them to see someone who had risen from nothing to become something. Like Hux had.

It’s time for Hux and Ren to watch out for each other. There is, of course, a part of Hux that would give Ren up to have the power he knows he had before Starkiller. His feelings are too great though.

Ren has pulled a latched seat down and is sitting Hux on it. He leaves for a moment and comes back with a glass of water. Hux drinks and waits for something to be said in the now quiet space.

“I’m with you.”

It’s something Hux is happy to hear and he knows his anxiety will be demanding to hear it more in the days to come.

26 pokes their head out of the cock-pit. “Sir?”

“Yes,  Lieutenant?”

26 nods at them slowly. “We’re about to exit hyper-space. There is static on the com, but I've made the transmission out to be a Captain Phasma trying to contact you, General.”

“Patch it through,” says Ren as he leaves Hux to join 26.

Hux takes a deep breath and arches his back until it pops. “Here we go,” he mumbles as he joins them.

“—and we’re taking a lot of fire. I—I’m not sure we’ll have—” static cuts into Phasma’s speech, “much of a chance without either of you.”

Grabbing the com, Ren snarls into it, “You just have to hold them off, we’ll be coming out of our jump!”

“You seem—to—not have heard me, there are far too many to fight. The troops have no—will. Snoke re-reported the General dead.”

Hux snatches the com from Ren. “Well, the men have been misinformed. I am alive: record this and send it to every ship.” Phasma doesn’t stop him, so he hopes she’s recording.

“This is your General speaking, Armitage Elan Hux, and sadly, I must tell you that we have been betrayed.” Hux takes a deep breath. “The being who calls himself Lord Snoke has turned on us all and put a fake Sith in command. A man with little pride for what we stand for. They mean to bring disarray to the First Order and have spread the lie that I have been killed.” His chest pulls and his next words are filled with defiance. “But I assure you, Lord Ren and I have escaped our attempted murderer. We will not leave you to die; we will not abandon you. We will fight for you. Until the next time, troopers, thank you for your service.”

He pauses a moment to lick his lips.

“Did you get all of that?”

“Yes, sir,” says Phasma.

“We’ll be exiting in thirty clicks,” says 26.

“Relay that message to all ships in the air.” Hux sweeps his hair back, as if he’s actually there on the Finalizer about to address everyone.

“The enemy, though—”

“Let them hear it too.” He’s in the mood to piss some people off.

Ren turns to him. “You want to risk it?”

“Yes,” Hux grips Ren’s elbow, “We have to make a stand somehow. Captain Phasma, can you still hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Rendezvous at grid coordinates grid  I-6, I want to survey the battle.”

“Sir—”

“That’s an order, Captain Phasma. If the Finalizer goes down, I should technically be with it, but I know what’s important now, and that’s inspiring the troops.”

“Yes, sir,” says Phasma slowly.

“15 clicks, General.”

“General Hux, out.” Hux shuts the com off.  

“Sir, there’s a lot of fire on the other side. I think it’s best you sit down.”  “I agree.” Hux takes the co-pilot seat. “Ren, you should go sit down, it would be better if you were strapped in somewhere.”

“I’ll use the Force.”

Hux rolls his eyes but flips off auto-pilot and readies himself for the battle they’re about to enter. “At least be prepared to fire some guns.” Kylo leaves with a huff.

“Five clicks, Sir.”

“What does he think this is going to be, a bloody picnic?”

“Four clicks… Three clicks.”

Hux looks at 26. “I want to get as close as possible to my cruiser.”

26 nods, leaning forward in the seat. “Yes, sir, coming out of the hyper jump.”

There’s a feeling that comes over the ship, or maybe just Hux. It’s the feeling of arriving home after a long trip but you know something’s wrong. As if the front door has been kicked in with no remorse. When you enter all your most precious belongings are broken and scattered across the floor. Your beloved pet, mutilated. Your companion gone and your sense of safety utterly destroyed. That kind of feeling.

One of the Finalizer’s large Koy Ion engines is on fire, along with several of the eight smaller ion engines. From what he can see at their distance, and with the battle going on mostly in front of their own ship, the Finalizer’s reactor has also taken major damage. What concerns him most is the darker and much larger battle-cruiser that is hanging above the Finalizer.

“Sir!”

The ship shakes and Hux comes back to himself, realizing they must have been taking fire for a while. Ren’s voice is making it to them from the gunner’s nest. “Can you two please move a little faster! We’re going to be taking some really bad hits if this continues.”

“Let’s get to the ship, 26!” yells Hux.

Speeding forward, they work to dodge two TIE fighters coming towards them. The ship whirls as shots come from above and Kylo curses over the com.

“You need to boost!”

“Thank you!” Hux hits several thruster buttons on the side of the console, he can see that more fighters are approaching on the monitors. “26, get us steady so Ren can get a clear shot, he’s our only gunner.”

“Not anymore,” says Riff’s voice over the com.

Hux knows a fighter has been hit due to the oncoming unit banking to avoid debris; Riff’s pleased cries from the gunner’s nest are a good sign too.

“Wooh! Did you see that?!” Riff cheers, then chuckles to himself.  “I never did this well in training.”

“Big surprise,” mumbles 26 while doing their best to swerve through the battle close to the ship.

“Come on, kids, play nice,” chuckles Ren.

The sound of their banter makes Hux pause. Did Ren just…? He shakes his head. “We all need to focus, pay attention to your monitors. I want to get closer to the Finalizer.”

“This might not be the time, Hux.”

“General.” 26 doesn't look towards Hux. “I don't think we can make it safely to the Finalizer. We will have another chance, though; you’re the First Order’s best general. And they wouldn't abandon one of their own!”

“No, we can make it,” exclaims Hux, but as he says that he looks forward, both the Finalizer and the cruiser above it have sent out small fleets of fighters.

“We can do it, I just hit another TIE!” Riff’s enthusiasm does nothing for Hux’s fleeting hope.

“Stay sharp!” he hears Ren shout. “There are two more coming in. They're going to try to cut us off from making our exit!”

“Sir?!” 26 is readying to retreat.

“Yes, yes, go.”

The view of the Finalizer starts to shrink as 26 steers the ship away from the battle. Hux can't do anything but watch and he feels his heart break a little. As the shuttle swerves, oncoming TIE fighters begin to fire. 26 dips the ship and yells at Hux to hold on as they flip and light up the hyperdrive.  

Hux takes over, punching the coordinates in, and sucks in his breath as a fighter coming at them from the front takes a hit and spirals just over them.

“We’re about to jump, everyone get ready!” Hux yells, pressing the clutch up. He counts in his head, five, four, three-

“Watch the fucking fighter, Riff!” But Ren’s warning is too late and the shuttle rumbles with a lurch as they’re hit.

Hux can’t stop the jump though, and they must get away from what he suspects is now Derson’s new command of the Finalizer. The command shuttle groans as the hyperdrive begins to suck them in and they receive another hit.

“Sir, there’s damage-”

“Thank you, 26!”

The ship zips into the light of hyperspace, beeping with alarms.


End file.
